Friction drag for windows



March 27, 1951 E. J. FOOTE 2,546,735

FRICTION DRAG FOR WINDOWS Filed Oct. 28, 1949 INVENTOR Edward .Z'Foole ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 27, 1951 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Edward J. Foote, Antelope, Calif.

Application October 28, 1949, Serial No. 124,039

2 Claims.

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel friction drag adapted to adjustably hold a window sash, of vertically slidable type, in any selected position of adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a friction drag, for windows, which comprises a tubular housing inserted in a lateral bore in the side of the sash, and a spring-pressed plunger projecting out of the tubular housing into frictional engagement with a wear strip in the bottom of the adjacent sash guide channel of the window frame.

A further object of the invention is to provide a friction drag, as above, which includes a novel arrangement for adjustment of the spring load on the plunger Without altering the projection of the latter.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a friction drag wherein such adjustment is accomplished from the outer end of the device and without removing the same from the sash.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a friction drag for ready and economical manufacture; the device being easy to install, and longlived in service.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable friction drag for windows, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation, partly broken away, of a combination screen door and sash embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the friction drags, detached.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of one of the friction drags, detached.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the invention is here shown as embodied in a combination screen door and sash, the door being indicated generally at I and the sash at 2; the latter being vertically slidable in sash guide channels 3 relative to a window opening 4 fitted with a screen 5. The sash guide channels 3 are formed, in the present embodiment, in the stiles 6 of the door I.

At one side thereof the sash 2 is fitted, at vertically spaced points, with friction drags, each indicated generally at I; the purpose of said drags being to automatically hold the sash 3 in any selected position of vertical adjustment thereof.

As each of the friction drags 1 is identical, a description of one will sufiice for both.

Each friction drag comprises a tubular housing 8 open at its outer end, but closed at its inner end, as at 9. r

A plunger I0 is slidably disposed in the outer end portion of the housing 8 and projects some distance out therefrom.

At its inner end the plunger I 0 is" fitted, in unitary relation, with a sleeve H which runs in the housing 8 with an easy fit.

A longitudinal screw l2 extends centrally through the above described assembly; said screw having a screw head I 3 on its outer end seated in a shouldered bore l4 open to the exposed end of said plunger. At its inner end the longitudinal screw I2 is secured, as at l5, to the closed end 9 of the housing 8, for rotary but non-axial motion.

A circular nut I6 is threaded on the screw l2 within the confines of the sleeve H; such nut I6 being free to travel along the screw in said sleeve but being held against turning motion by a longitudinal rib l l deformed downwardly in the sleeve and bearing in a transverse notch [8 in the periphery of said nut.

A compression spring 19 surrounds the screw 12 between the nut 16 and the inner end of the plunger 10; the nut serving. as a stop for the spring, and the latter being under constant load and urging the plunger l0 outwardly.

At its outer end the tubular housing 8 is formed with a radial annular flange 20.

Each friction drag 1 is disposed in a lateral bore 2! in one side bar 22 of the sash 2; such bore being of a depth that the flange 20 abuts the outer edge of said side bar.

The plunger ll] of each friction drag projects laterally into relatively strong frictional engagement with a metal wear strip 23 in the bottom of the adjacent sash guide channel 3; the plunger riding inwardly, against the spring IS, on screw [2.

With a pair of friction drags I mounted as described they serve effectively to automatically maintain the window sash 2 in any selected position of vertical adjustment, yet permitting such adjustment to be made manually whenever desired.

To alter the spring load on the plunger ll) of each friction drag, it is only necessary to insert a screw driver in the bore [4 and to thus rotate the longitudinal screw I2, whereby to either ad-= vance or retract the circular nut Hi. This adjustment, with the arrangement described, is attained without any alteration in the extent of the projection of the plunger l beyond the outer end of the tubular housing 8.

Friction drags constructed as described are capable of being manufactured economically, and can be installed readily and quickly without the use of any special tools.

From the'foregoing description itt-willbe readily seen-that there has-been produced such a-'device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations $-from :snch detail may be resorted to as do not forrnadeparture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the folw ue i nla edl m tend sus iulmand no n Wh hiLe er a en zar des re 1. .A frictiondrag,-for a window:sash comprising a tubular;hous ing,.,9:plunger.projectingfrom one ;en .d of the tubular v,housing, :the --,other ,end ofthe housing being ,closed, a longitudinal screw disposed centrally in .;,the ,housing the rearend; of the,-scitevv being turnablysattached to the closed end of the housingma screw-headwn the outer end of the screw the plungenhaving:a shouldered bore through which I';h 5- .-SC1'&W+ X- tends,andjnlwhich the-head isseated-astopmut on the screw rearward-bf the -plungena .compression springtsurrounding the ,screwfbetween tends and in which the head is seated, a stop nut ;.o n- ;tl-1e;screw rearward of the plunger, a compression spring surrounding the screw between the -.stop-nutzand inner end of the plunger, 2. ,sleeve projecting, inward from the plunger about the screw,'the nut being in the sleeve, and means tomrevent-rotation of the nut in the sleeve without restricting axial motion of said nut therein.

EDWARD J.

,REFERENQES SITE!) The following references are of record inrthe file of :this rpatent:

"UNITED STATES PATENTS 1215,19? MacKinlay, -Mar. 6, 19.17 1,686,805 Forg Oct. .9, :1928 1,726,002 .Smith :Aug..;27, 1929 

